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El Niño Is Intensifying: What's Happening Around the World
An exceptionally strong El Niño is warming the Pacific and shifting weather patterns worldwide. The WMO says it will keep intensifying until a December peak. It expects above-average temperatures across much of the globe and shifted rainfall, which raises drought and flood risks in different regions. Fires and haze are hitting Indonesia and Brazil, power grids are under strain in Myanmar and the Philippines, and the IMF and UNDP are warning about food security and poverty. Floods in Thailand have killed 71 people since mid-September.
The big picture
The article, published 13 October 2026 (AFP, via Bangkok Post), describes a warmer Pacific sea surface that is shifting weather around the world.
Copernicus (EU) reported record Pacific sea-surface temperatures in a key monitoring region last month: 29.70C. Japan's weather agency declared the event the strongest on record. Forecasters use different scales, and climate change complicates comparisons.
The WMO's monthly update says El Niño is "likely to bring above-average temperatures to much of the globe."
Indonesia and the region
Drought has fuelled forest and plantation fires for months in Borneo and South Sumatra. The fires have caused a regional haze crisis and made tens of thousands of people ill. Experts say deforestation and peatland drainage make Indonesia more fire-prone in dry spells.
Neighbouring countries are responding:
- Malaysia closed schools in several regions last week and called for an Asean meeting on the haze. It also offered firefighting help.
- Singapore announced subsidies for medical treatment of haze-linked illness.
Wildlife is suffering too. Authorities and the conservation group YIARI rescued 46 orangutans between August and October. One of them was Novita, a burned female found clinging to a treetop. Andi Muhammad Khadafi, head of the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency, said she had to leave her habitat and was rescued mainly because of the flames.
Brazil
Haze covered Manaus, the largest city in the Brazilian Amazon, and public schools closed on Friday. Amazonas state had nearly 4x as many fire hotspots this September as last year. Over 749 fires were burning on Wednesday alone.
Myanmar and the Philippines
Myanmar warned of power outages because an unseasonal heatwave is straining the grid. The energy ministry said severe El Niño conditions have raised temperatures significantly and increased electricity consumption. The country also expects abnormal rainfall, drought, extreme heat and drinking water shortages.
The Philippines is preparing for higher power demand and possible hydropower declines in the hotter, drier weather. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin asked the public to start thinking about energy savings.
Economy and food
IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva told AFP she is "very concerned", especially about food security, and the IMF is getting ready to support affected countries.
The UNDP warned on Sunday that high borrowing costs, surging energy prices and El Niño together create "a perfect storm." It said this could push tens or even hundreds of millions of people back into poverty.
Southern Madagascar already has famine. Aid workers expect it to worsen as El Niño's full impact on Africa arrives from this month.
Storms and floods
The Atlantic hurricane season has been exceptionally light, with only 1 hurricane so far, while the Pacific season is busy. Floods in Thailand have killed 71 people since mid-September.
What this could mean for travellers
The article doesn't address tourism directly, so treat these points as practical inferences rather than reported findings.
- Haze: Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are affected. Check air quality before travelling there, and bring masks if you're sensitive to smoke. Flights and school or event closures may be disrupted.
- Heat and power: Expect extreme heat in Myanmar, with outages and water shortages. The Philippines may see power strain.
- Thailand: Floods have killed 71 people since mid-September, so check local conditions and forecasts before travelling. The article gives no region-specific detail for the south or Koh Lanta.
- Duration: Conditions are expected to worsen until the December peak. Peak-season travel plans in affected regions carry more weather risk.
- Costs: The IMF and UNDP warnings point to higher food and energy prices.
- Wildlife and eco-tourism: The fires are damaging orangutan habitat in Borneo, which affects wildlife trips there.
Information sourced from Bangkok Post.